Journalist: Troubling times shape the new state of Manchester football | OneFootball

Guardiola, Amorim and a City in Flux: Reflections Ahead of the Manchester Derby

Oliver Kay of The Athletic has delivered a compelling piece exploring the state of Manchester’s two footballing giants. His analysis highlights how the balance of power between City and United has shifted dramatically since Pep Guardiola and José Mourinho first squared up in 2016, and why both clubs now enter this weekend’s derby with pressing concerns.

From Fireworks to Flat Derbies

Kay recalls the fiery early days of Guardiola’s arrival: “Every clash was described as ‘box office’. It was Guardiola vs Mourinho on the touchline. It was Kevin De Bruyne vs Paul Pogba. It was Sergio Aguero vs Zlatan Ibrahimovic.” Those encounters were laden with drama, even spilling into tunnel flare-ups.

Yet, as Kay points out, the fixture has since lost its edge. Last season’s Old Trafford derby was a 0-0 stalemate that Gary Neville dismissed as a “love-in”, lamenting the lack of intensity between the players.

United’s Identity Crisis

The article also tackles United’s persistent struggles under successive managers and owners. Guardiola once admitted: “I know what we have done. I don’t know what Man United have done because I am not (there). But I didn’t expect it, honestly, when I arrived here with Jose Mourinho, with Ibrahimovic… with top, top players.”

Photo: IMAGO

Even with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment and the appointment of Omar Berrada from City, United’s structural problems remain unresolved. As Kay writes, their £200million summer revamp failed to address “longstanding deficiencies — both with and without the ball — in central midfield.”

City’s Shifting Philosophy

For City, Guardiola’s ironclad philosophy is being questioned. His insistence that “Never, ever, will I change my belief in the way we’re going to play” sits uneasily alongside the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma, a goalkeeper not renowned for ball-playing ability. Micah Richards’ warning that “there’s something… missing” underscores the sense that this City side is struggling to adapt.

Derby as a Defining Moment

As Kay concludes, Sunday’s derby feels less like a battle of supremacy and more like a fight for stability: “By 6.30pm on Sunday, either City or United — or both if it ends up a draw — will be left with one win from the first four Premier League matches.” The stakes are high, not just for bragging rights, but for the credibility of both Guardiola and Amorim in navigating troubled waters.

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From a Manchester United supporter’s perspective, Kay’s piece rings painfully true. Fans have long grown used to the narrative of United as English football’s soap opera, while City have swept up the trophies. The line about United’s “loss of direction under the Glazer family’s miserable ownership” will resonate with almost every supporter – it reflects years of frustration at boardroom negligence.

Amorim’s appointment brought hope, but the early signs echo familiar patterns. Yes, Cunha and Mbeumo have added pace and energy, but Kay is right to stress how midfield has again been neglected.

There is also scepticism about the idea of “cultural resets.” Supporters have heard it all before. Mourinho, Solskjaer, Ten Hag – each promised change, only for old weaknesses to re-emerge. Amorim’s rigid system, yielding just 31 points from 30 league games, is already testing the faith of the fanbase.

That said, the derby remains a chance to change the mood. United fans will point to past upsets, such as last December’s 2-1 win at the Etihad, as evidence that hope is never extinguished. Yet if another meek performance unfolds, Kay’s portrayal of United as a side in endless transition will feel brutally accurate.

For many supporters, the real battle is not just with City on the pitch but with the ownership and decision-making that continue to hold the club back. Until that changes, United risk remaining, as Kay suggests, a club defined more by narrative than by achievement.